Method and apparatus for testing air permeable waterproof gloves

A method for simultaneously dry testing a plurality of gloves (10) made with an air permeable, waterproof material (16) comprising:

• connecting a source (50) of pressurized air to an air inlet end of a manifold (54) having a plurality of air outlets (56);
• connecting each air outlet to an air inlet end of a fitting (60);
• connecting a glove (10) to an air outlet end of the fitting;
• and,
• flowing air through the manifold to simultaneously inflate all of the gloves with air, a backpressure being created in each glove when inflated;
• and,
• determining the quality of each glove as a function of the backpressure level in the glove whereby if the backpressure is of a predetermined level the glove is waterproof and acceptable, but if the backpressure is less than the predetermined level, the glove will leak, is not waterproof, and is unacceptable.

Apparatus for dry testing method a glove (10) made with an air permeable, waterproof material (16) comprising:

• a text fixture (24) on which the glove is mounted;
• a source (20) of pressurized air to which the test fixture is connected, the glove being inflated by pressurized air when the air source is activated with a backpressure being created in the glove;
• and,
• means (26) also connected to the test fixture for measuring the backpressure level whereby if the glove is waterproof the backpressure will be such that said means measures at least a predetermined value, but if the glove is not waterproof, the backpressure will be such that said means does not attain the predetermined value.